Clothesprop



J. G..HAU'GH CLOTHES'PROP.

0N FILED JULYIB, 191

1,365,589. Patented Jan. 11,1921.

UNITED STATES JAMES G. HAUGH, OF BASCOM, OHIO.

GLOTHESPROP.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J 11 1921" Application filed July 18, 1918. Serial N0. 245,504.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JAMES G; HAUGH, of Bascom, in the county of Seneca and in the State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Clothesprops, and do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to articles such as clothes props, that, usually, are in the form of a long stick or rod, and which by reason of their length can not conveniently be brought indoors, and, therefore, are left outside, and exposed to dirt and the elements, and rot and otherwise become useless. My object is to provide in an inexpensive, simple, and easily manipulated form, a

clothes prop which will overcome this ob-v jection, and to such end, my invention consists in the clothes prop having the construction substantially as hereinafter specified.

f In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of a clothes prop embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail view in vertical section of the portion thereof provided with the latch device.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

I construct my prop of sections, of equal length, preferably two, 10 and 11 are slidable one along the other to the desired length to hold up a clothes line, or to con- 11, is attached the le tract themto the shortest length possible so that they can conveniently be stored in the house without taking up much space. The two sections 10 and 11, are shown as straight sticks of wood, rectangular in cross section,

the stick 10 having its lower' end pointed to securely engage the ground, and shod with sheet metal 12 to save wear, whilethe top of the stick 11 preferably has an eye 13 with an open side, for ready engagement and separation from the clothes line to be supported. Near the lower end of-the stick of a sheet metal strap 14 which projects t erefrom and forms a loop through which the stick 10 slidingly passes, and near the upper end of the stick 10 there-are two similar straps 15, that provide loops through which the stick 11 passes, and thus the two sticks are secured side 'by side, but are free to move longitudinally side of the stick 10, near its point is a proj ection or stud 16 that strikes the lower edge of the strap 14, and prevents one stick slidingoff the other.

Near the upper end of the ground-engaging sectlon or stick 10, and between the two upper straps 15 I cut in its side next the line engaging stick 11, a wedge-shaped notch. that provides a surface 17 that incllnes downward and outward toward the side of the stick '11, and in such notch I place a roller 18 of a length to reach from side to side of the stick, and having at each end an annular head or flange 19 that is of sufficient size to overlap the adjacent side surfabes of the two sticks. The roller 18 tends by gravity to fall into the lower, narrowing portion of the wedge shape space provided between the two sticks, and the frictional contact of the stick 11 upon it, crowds the roller down into such space, so

that the greater the weight on the line-engaging stick 11, the tighter will be the grip upon it and downward movement of the stick 11, is prevented, yet, while collapsing movement is thus prevented, extensibility is easy, for instantly upon upward movement of the stick 11 or downward movement of the stick 10 the roller 18 moves into the wider portion of the wedge-shape space, and remains there so long as such movement continues, but instantly upon its cessation, the locking action of the roller takes place.

The two roller flanges 19 not only perform the useful function of confining the roller against falling out of the notch but provide convenient finger and thumb engaging members for holding the roller out of contact with the upper stick 11 when it is desired to slide the latter tofold up, or

ing finger and thumb out of contact with said stick so that injury or hurt from the sliding contact of the stick with the flesh is prevented' The roller is sufficiently near the top of the lower stick 10 that the hand can comfortably be supported, while lifting the roller, by placing the fore-finger over the top of said stick while the thumb and second finger engage the opposite flanges or heads 19. It will be seen that the roller with its heads involves no projections from the prop apt to strike or hook into other objects, it makes an exceedingly simple and cheap, but efiective lock, and it can be manipulated most easily and comfortably.

I claimt v a v Asupport comprising two members slidable one upon the other longitudinally, and connected for such sliding movement, one

5 of the members havingin its side next the other a notch with an inclined surface, and a shiftable body in such notch having at each end a pro ection fixed to and moving v with the body, and unattached to either of 10 said members, and that overlaps the. surface at the notch side, said projections bein adapted for engagement by thumb an finger to manipulate'the body and situated enable such top to serve as a support for near enough to the top ofthe member to 15 the forefinger when thumb and other finger engage said projection.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing Ihave hereunto set mhand.

' J ES G. HAUGH. 

